Expression device for automatic musical instruments



.T. DANQUARD. EXPRESSIONDEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION r1120 NOV-6. 191s. RENEWED JULY 1.9..1921.

v 5 SHEET3-SHEET I- 6 T, DANQUARD. EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.6, I9I6. RENEWED IULY19, I92I. 1,413,831;

Patented Apr. 2 5, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- finese T. DANQUARD. v EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-6, I9I6- RENEWED JULY 19' I921.

"1,41 3,83 1. PatentedApr. 25, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

E I I l U 62% T. DANQUARD.

EXPRESSION DE'Vl-CE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-611916- RENEWED IULY191I921.

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

5 swans-awn 4.

T. DANQUARD. EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION rguzo NOV. 6, 1916. RENEWED JULY 19. 1921.

1,413,831. Patented Apr. 25,1922.

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L, [g m a7. 18 92191 J01 10a 77- H7 106 j v 6 ii? i fl 10 L. i I a! IP95 10? A v I flaw ge z W226 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DANQ AR on NEW Yonx. n. Y.. ASSIGNOR T0 Auro PNE COMPANY, A CORPQRATIQN on NEW YORK.

UMATIC ACTION EXPRESSION. nnvicnron AUTOMATIC MUSICAL msrnumnnrsr Application filed November .6, 1916, Serial No; 129,701. Renewed July 19, 1921, s i 4 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THQMAS DAXQUABD,

a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Expression Dev ce for Automatlc Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an expression device for automatic musical instruments, especially adapted to control the expression of pneumaticallyoperated instruments, such asp'layer pianos and organs.

lnsuch instruments it is customaryto indicate upon the perforated note sheet the intensity of tone-to be employed in rendering different parts of the selection. Such indication may consist of'lines or marks on the note sheet indicating the changes of pressure to be made manually as the sheet advances, or it may consist'ot specialperform tions in thev note sheet by which the expres sion may be automatically' controlled.

It is the general object. of my invention to provide improved mechanism for automatically controlling the expression of a player piano. or other automatic musical instru- Inent, and alsoto facilitate alternate use of both manual and automatic control. 1

:With this object in view one feature of my invention relates to the provision of a regu latingdevice comprising a plurality. of actuating pneumatics and tothe lillltllfil} provision of selector mechanism so designed that any selected pneumatic maybe rendered operative to position the regulating device, the

remaining pneumatic-s being simultaneously rendered inoperative," I also provide-means for controlling the. regulating device manually, and a further feature of my invention relates to means for rendering either system of control operative and the other system of control simultaneously inoperative. p v

Anotherobject of my invention'is to -im prove the selector by which the regulating device is automaticallycontrolled, simplifying the construction o f the selector and reneration. s I

"Anotherfeature of my invention relates to means for relieving the resistance to the pumping bellows when the pressu'reon the actions isv reduced for extremely soft effects.

My invention. further relates to certainarrangements and combinations of parts dering it moreefi'ective and reliable in op A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 1s a front elevation of certain parts of a player piano mechanism cut awav in parts tolshow additional mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of a portlon of the'tracker or spool box and associated mechanism, the selector being shown in section above the box;

Fig.3 is a left-hand side elevation, partly 1n section, of the cut-out device shown in. Fig.2; v F Fig. 1 adetail sectional elevation show- 111g the cut-out device in af'diflierent position;

Fig. 5- is a side view of the hand lever which controls the cut-out device} Fig. 6 is a front elevati n of the sliding valve by which the expression mechanism is manually. controlled and also shows the pneumatic by which the manual control mechanism rendered inoperative when the automatic control isJin use; '1 V a Fig.7 is a sectional longitudinal view taken along theline' 7- 7 in Fig. 6;

Fig. Sis a front view of the valve block with the valve removed;

Fig. 9 is a detailview of a connection to be described; I

Fig. 10 isa front-elevation of the tracker bar andnote sheet; i Fig. 11 is a front elevation of. the treble expression regulator; p Fig. 12 is a left-hand side elevation, partly in section, taken substantially alongthe line 12-12 in 11;

Fig. 13 is asectional view taken along the line 13-13 in Fig. 11; l

Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 1,4l.1l in Fig. 13; I V Fig-15 is atop plan view of the selector mechanism; f

Fig. .16 is an enlarged sectional elevation, of the bass selectontaken along the line Referring Fig. 1, I have shown a track- Speeif catio n oi Letters Patent. Pate t d Ap 25 1922 er or spool box S within which a music sheet M is supported by a music roll and take-up roll 9] for travel over the usual tracker bar Driving mechanism D of any usual type provided for actuating the music and take-up rolls.

The action chest is indicated at A, and the main wind trunk at XV, from which the air is exhausted through the usual storage and equalizing devices E by the usual pumping bellows B. As the air from the chest A is drawn into the Wind trunk I it passes through tension regulating devices and ll adapted to vary the tension in the treble and bass portions OT. the instrument respectively. These regulators may he controlled either inamlally or automatically. v

For automatic control I provide treble and bass selectors G and G, shown herein as mounted on the spool box .5), and for manual controll provide the hand-shitting mechanism H, shown hereii'i as positioned below the key board l1. The action chest A is connected to the regulators l3 and ll by exhaust pipes 23 and 24 respectively.

I will now describe the construction and operationoit the treble tension regulator R. The regulator R (Figs. 11 to .14) comprises a casing divided by a partition 31 into compartments 32 and 33. The compartment 32 is connected by the pipe 23to the action chestia. and the compartment33 is connected by a passage 34: with the wind trunl'c W. A. passage 35 connects the compartments 32 and 33, and a pivotally-mounted spring"- pressed valve 36 is provided by which the passage 35 may be closed to a greater orless extent to vary the air tension in the compartu1ent32.

For moving the swinoing valve 36 a. plurality of pneiunatics 37 33 and (l i '1) are mounted on the casing 30. the-movable outer leaves 370. 380 and 390 ct tliesepnei matics being joined together l strip 4-0 so that they will all move together whenever any one of the pneumatics is rendered oner ative. The pneumatics are normally held open or in the position shown in Fig. '13 by a spring 421 connected atone end to a lined arm 42 and at the other end to an arm 43 adjustably secured to the moral'ile-leat 330 of the piieiunaticEL. The lea? 380 is-also connected by an adjustable link 44- to the swinging valve 36. p

From the description thus Far given. it will be evident that whenever any one of the pneu-matics 37, 38 or 39 is deflated the novable leaves of thepnenmati will be swune' inward against the tcnsionot the spring Ll. thereby partially closing the passage 35. As the pneumatics clitlcrin size the effect on the valve will varyraccordingto which. pneuatic becomes operative. I -lVl1on all of the pneumatics are inoperative the passage 35 will be fully open and.

the actions will be operated with the full tension oi? the wind trunk, thus producing a very loud or tortissimo elicit. It the smallest pneumatic 39 becomes operative the tension will be somewhat reduced by the partial closing of the valve 36, producing a loud or 'l'orte effect. It the pucun'iatic 3 instead of the pneumatic 39 becomes operative a soft or piano effect will be produced, and the pneumatic will PiOtlllCG the t or pianissimo efl'ect.

he selector G controls the pneumatics 37, 38 or 39 and is so constructed that any one of the pz'ieumatics 37, 38 or 39 may be rendered operative while the other two mieumatics remain inoperative. In Fig. .13 I have shown the air valve through which thesclcctor G controls the pneumatic 37.

The pneumatic-37 isconnected by a. ]7;l 5 age to a chamber 51 open on one side to the atmosphere and. on-the other Slur? to an exhaust chamber 52 connected by a passage 53(l ig. 14;) with the om'npartment 32 in the casing: 30. The vchamber 51 contains a double air 'valvc M- adapled. to openlhe chamber 51 and passage 50 to the exhaust chamber or to the atmosphere, according to its position. The valve fi th-as a head positioned for engagement by a diaphragm 5G. overlying a small chambm'oiconnected by a bleed opening 58. with the exhaust chamber-62. .The chamber 57 is also connected hyaa tube 60 with the selector (i by which it is closed or opened to the atmosphere. lVhen the tube 60 is open, atmos pherie pressure raises the diaphragm 56, which engages the head 55 oi"- the valve 5-1- and lifts the valve... thus connecting the chamber 51 with the exhaust passage 52; and thereby exhausting the pneumatic 37. Dollution of this pneumatic moves the valve to partially close they passage 2-35. Additional tubes (ll and 62 extend from the selector (lto the regulator ll and control the pneumatics 3?. and 39. through air valves p isely similar to the one just described.

The largest pneumatic 37 is provided with air rents 63 (Fig, 12) covered by a flap valve 64 for relieving the pressure in the pneum atiowhon one of the pneumatics 38 or 39 is operative. Such relief ports are not found necessary in the smaller pneumatics from. which the air escapes with sullicient rapid ty through the atmospheric ports of the air valves. I

When the pneumatic 37 is operated, to close he passage 35 to its greatest extent the air supply of the pumping bellows of the in strument is almost entirely shut off and the resistance or drag on the bellows action is correspondingly great. This sudden increase in resistance is unpleasant for the per son o iierating the bellows and to remedy this objectionable feature I have provided a relieit valve (Fig. 12) for relieving the llll by a screw 74 adjustable in. an arm 75 sematics only, thus giving three gradations of cured to the movableleaf 370 of the pneumatic 3T. Thecasing 71 is connected by a cross passage 76 to the compartment 32 of" the regulator casing 30.

-lVl1-en the pneumatic 37 is exhausted and the movable leaf 370 thereof approaches its extreme inner position, the screw 7 1 engages the head 72 of the valve 70, depressing the valve, and-thus opening the passage 76 to the atmosphere. The opening of this passage will tend to further decrease the air tension in the chamber 32. Since, however, the pneumatic 37 is deflated by the exhaust tension in the chamber 32,1communicated through the passage 50 and exhaust chamber 52, this decrease in tension will permit the spring 411 to open the pneumatic to a certain'extent, thus moving the valve 36 and permitting more air to pass through the passage 35 to the wind, trunk. The drag on the bellows is thus relieved and by adjustment of the screw 74 any v desired final tension may be secured.- I a The construction of the tension regulator It precisely similar to the construction of the regulator R withithe exception that the regulator R" isprovided with two pneupressure insteadof four, The pneumatics of the regulator R are controlled by tubes 77 and 78 extending to the selector G.

. I will now describe the selectors by which theregulators are automatically controlled.

Each selector consists briefly ofa sliding valve; adapted to control the admission of air to the air valves 01? the regulator pneumatics. and a plurality of pneumatics. for

moving the sliding valve.- v

The selector (301501? the regulator R is shown in detail in Figs. 16 to 19, in. which the sliding valve80 is mounted to slide in a valve block 81 having apertures 82 83 in its valve seat. These apertures are connected. by cross passages 84 and 85 to the tubes 77 and 78 which control the regulator R. The valve 80 has a single port or air opening. 86 formed therein which is adapted to be registered with either of the-apertures 82 or 83. valve seat by aspring 87 and is movedlom gitudinally by means ofa' valve rod88 having a plurality of collars 89, adjustably secured thereto. The longitudinalposition of the rod-and valve is controlled by single-act ing pneumatics 90 and 91-anda double-act ing pneumatic 92. a w y The movable leaf of. the pneumatic 90 is provided with a projection 901 adapted to engage one of the collars 89 and move the The valve, is pressed against its rod and valve to its extreme left-hand or inoperative position. The pneumatic 91 has a. projection 910 which also engages a collar 89 on the rod 88 and is effective to move the valve to its extreme right-hand position in which the port 86 coincideswith the aper- 'termediate position in which. the port 86 uncovers the tube 78, causing less deflation of the regulator R. i

With this arrangement of pneumatics it i will be seen'that any one of the pneumatics can at'any time engage and position the valve rodand valve at a predetermined point regardless of the position which the rod and valve previously occupied. The treble selector G is exactly similar in construction, with a pluralityol. pneumutirs 95 including one additional double-acting pneumatic, thus giving two intermediate positions instead of one. i Y

The mechanism for controlling the differ.- ent pneumatics inbot hselectors is identical and in Fig. 17 I have shown the control mechanism for the pneumatic 92, the. mechanism being substantiallya duplicate of the air valve shown in Fig.1?) for controlling the regulator pneumatic 37;

A passage (Fig. 17) leads from the pneumatic 92 to a chamber 101 having a port 102 open to the atmosphere and a second port 103 leading to an exhaustchamber 104indirectlyconnected to the wind trunk W, as

I also connected to a tube, 110. The tube connects with a special opening 111 (Fig. 10) in the'trackerbar 22. When the opening 111 is closed by themusic sheet the chamber 108 will be exhausted. through the bleed opening. 109 and thevalve 105 will rem ain in the position shown in Fig. 17, thus connecting the pneumatic 92 to the atmos phere.

Special per the perforated note sheet for controlling the expression. If the opening 111 is uncovered by one of these perforations 112, atmosphericair will be admitted to the chamber 108, raising the valve 105 and connecting thepneumatic 92 tothe exhaust chamber 101. The pneumatic 92 will thus be deflatedapositioning the sliding valve 80 to openlthe tube 7 8 leading to the smaller pneumatic of the base regulator R thus causing a partial reduction of the tensionin the forations. 1'12 are provided in bass portion of the action chest A, and giving a medium loud or 'mf expression to the bass notes. t will be understood that the action chest A is divided into bass and reble sections. Similar t acker opening" 1'1 and 111 (l ig. 10) are connected l tubes 110" and 110 (Figs. 1' and to the pneun'iatics 90 and 91 respectively. and when uncovered give full pressure or ex.- treine reduced pressure in the bass regulator 1:1.

.idditional special tracker openings 12o Fig. 10) are connected by pipes 121 (Fig. 1) to the pneuinatics 95 (Fig. 15) which control the treble regulator R, the operation being precisely similar to that above described.

Provision is made for controlling the or;- pression regulators R and R maninillv, and I will now describe the hand shift mech anism H shown in. detail in Figs. 6 to 9. The mechanism H comprises a valve block 136 (l 8) with which the tubes 77 and 78 (Fig. l) are connected by branch 'nhes 7'76 and 76.6 leazling to openings 7'71 and '76! (Fig. in the valve seat. The tubes 60, 6! and 62 are sin'iilarlv connected bv branch tubes 600, 610 and 620 to openings 601. 611 and 621 also positioned the valve and paired with the openings 771 and 761.

A valve 131 is slidable in the valvchlock 130 and is provided with two air PRSSflgGS 132 and 133 the, passage 132'being in line with the openings 771 and 761 and the parsage 133 being in line with the Openings 661. 611 and 621. When the valve is in the position shown inFigs. 6 and 7 the bra nch tubes are all closed and the hand shift 1nechanism is inoperative, As theslide valve is moved to the right it successively uncovers the openingsdl21 and 781, the openings 611 and 771. and theopenings 601 and 771, the latter opening being elongated so as to be operzitive with either the openingor 611. n each operative position oi the valve it therefore controls the operation of one pneuinatic in each of the regulators R and R. The valve is actuated through a valve rod 13?! adjustablv connected by a link 135 to a hand shift lever 136; l

The hand shift mechanism H may be used in conjunction with the automatic control, but it is more commonly used separately, and under such circumstances it. is desirable to cut out the automatic control when. the hand shift mechanism is in use. For this purpose 'I provide the cut-out mechanism shown in detail in F igs. 2 to 5 inclusive.

This mechanism comprises a valve block 140 (F ig. 3) having passages 1411 and 112 formed therein. The passage 141 is con nected by, a tube 148 to the Wind trunk W through the high pressure exhaust chamber of the regulator R and the passage 1-12 is 146 and the air chamberof the pneumatic is connected with both the passages 141 and 1 2. The moval'ile leaf oil the pneumatic 14!) is extended at 146 and is provided with a. dependii'ig lug 141:7 adapted to engage a am 1 18 mounted on a pin 149 having a hearing in the side of the spool boX S, and provided at its inner end with a handle 156 (Fig. By swinging the handle 150 downwarth the cam 148 will open the pncuinatic 14:1. thus rendering the selectors (l and G operative. lit the handle 150 is raised, the cam will allow the pneumatic to close, and a packing 151 (Fig. 3) will cover the opening 141, thus cutting out the automatic selector.

l'Vhenever either the automatic selector or the hand shift mechanism is thrown in op eration, it is essential, to prevent interference, that the other device should he in inoperative position. and 1 control this set ting of the devices in inoperative position from the pneumatic 145. For controlling the selectors 1 provide av block 160 (Figs. 3 and 4) having passages 161 and 162 formed therein and connected by pipes 163 and 164- with passages 165 and 166 formed in the base of the selectors G and G. The pas sage 165 connected with the air chamber or recess underlying the diaphragm which controls the air valve of the pneumatic which renders the valve 80 inoperative, while the passage 166 is similarly connected to control the pneun'iatic which moves the, treble selector valve to inoperative posi tion.

The passages 161 and 162 in the block 160 are positioned to be covered by a plate 167 secured to the extension 146 of the pneumatic 145 when. raised by the ram 148, the selector being then in operation. Whenever the selector is rendered inoperative by the movement of the cam 148 to the posit-ion shown in Fig. 1, the passages 161 and. 162 are each left open to the atmosphere and the p'neumatics 96 and 95, above mentioned, are thus rendered operative to move the selector valves to inoperative position.

For moving the hand shift valve 131 to inoperative position when the selectors are in use I provide a pneumatic 170 Figs. 1 and 6) the movable leaf of which engages a. collar 171 on a rod 172 connected to the hand shift lever 136. The pneumatic 170 is connected by a tube 17 3 to an. opening 174; opening into the passage 142 (Fig. 3) in the block 140. When the pneumatic 145 is raised, the tube 173 is connected through the pneumatic to the exhaust of the instrument and deflates the pneumatic 17 0, thus moving the slide valve 131 to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 6.

in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims, and I do notwish to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is I. In an automatic musical instrument, in combination, means to produce air tension, a tension regulating device having a valve therein, a plurality of expression pneumatics each effective to separately actuate and position said valve, and a sheet-controlled selector efi'ective to render any selected expression pneumatic separately operative to definitely position said tension regulating valve and to simultaneously render the remaining expression pneumatics inoperative. a 1

2. In an automatic musical instrument, in.

combination, means to produce-air tension,

a tension regulator, a selector effective to automatically control the operation of said regulator, manual means for controllingv said regulator, and means effective to render either controlling means inoperative, when the other controlling means is rendered operative. I a

3. In an automatic musical instrument, in combination, means to produce air tension, a tension regulator, a, selector effective to automatically control the operation of said regulator, manual means for controlling.

said regulator, manual means effective to render said automatic selectoroperative or inoperative, and means to rendersaid manual control inoperative when the automatic control is rendered operative.

4. In an automatic musical instrument, in

combination, means to produce air tension,

a tension regulator, a selector effective to automatically control the operation of said regulator, manual means for controlling said regulator, manual means effective to render said automatic selector operat ve or 1noperative, and pneumatic connections between said last-named means andsaid manual control through which the manual control will be rendered inoperative when the automatic control is rendered operative.

, 5. In an automatic musical instrument, in combination, exhaust mechanism, a pressure regulator, an air chamber in which the tension is normally controlled by said regulator, expression-changing devices for sa d regulator, means to selectively render said devices operative, and a relief valve positioned for engagement by said regulatoras the latter approaches its closed position, by which engagement said relief valve is opened to admit air to said chamber to further reduce the air tension therein, thereby causing an opening movement of said regulator.

6. In an automatic musical instrument, in combination, exhaust mechanism, a pressure regulator, an air chamber in which the tension is normally controlled by said regulator,

a relief port directly connected to said chamber, a relief valve 'for said port, and connectionswhereby said valve is openedby said regulator as the latter approaches its closed position, thereby admitting air to said chamber. v

7. In an automatic musical instrument, in combination, means to. produce air tension, a tension controlling valve, a plurality of expression pneumatics each effective to separately modify the action of said controlling valve, a second valve effective in different positions to render a selected expression pneumatic only operative, and the other expression pneumatics simultaneously inoperative, and a sheet controlled selector for positioning said second valve.

8. In an automatic musical instrument, in combination, means to produce air tension, a

tensionregulating valve, and a plurality of pneumatics adapted to be separately exhausted but all movable as a unitjto position said valve, one of said pneumatics being provided with a relief valve permitting escape of air therefrom when any other pneumatic is exhausted. In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

I THOMAS DANQUARD; f IVitnesses: I

'.WIILIAM J.=KnnLnY,

-W1LLI'AM J. SARTOR. I 

